


Slowly, Then All At Once

by Wannabanauthor



Category: Luke Cage (TV)
Genre: F/M, Metafiction, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 08:19:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8279209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wannabanauthor/pseuds/Wannabanauthor
Summary: Shades gets reacquainted with the woman who occupied his thoughts since he was a teen, and Mariah tries to figure out why the man in shades looks so familiar.Meta/fiction on both characters' thoughts about each other during the series.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea why I decided to write this, but just know that the chapters will be very short.

Shades knows that they were on their way on to see Mariah, but when they arrive, he can barely believe that the dark-skinned beauty standing in front of Cornell is her.

He can’t help but stare as she goes from friendly political face to old school Harlem in a fraction of a second.

Mariah plays at being prim and proper, but Shades sees all her little slip ups and a taste of the attitude she inherited from Mama Mabel.

He can see the darkness lurking deep inside her just aching to come out. He smirks to himself. He can help with that.

The rich blue dress is lovely on her, and it’s a shame it hides a figure that he’s betting is just as fine as he remembers it.

He leans forward, trying to study her some more, and his interest is mistaken for eavesdropping.

His heart falls when he realizes that she doesn’t recognize him. He doesn’t take it personally since she’s only interested in Cornell reimbursing her at the moment.

His eyes are not nearly as discrete later on as she and Cornell are arguing in her office.

Cornell’s oblivious to it, but Mariah catches on quickly and calls him out on it.

He smiles. How could he not?

The woman he fantasized about as a teen is smarter, stronger, and more beautiful than ever.

She’s tense around him and Cornell, but Shades can wait.

He’s waited this long to see her again, so a few days should be a piece of cake.

~

The weight of his eyes feel familiar to Mariah, but she can’t quite place it.

Cornell’s not interested in telling her who he is, so she makes a note to look him up later.

He could be an old friend of her cousin’s, but she doesn’t really know. She didn’t pay much attention to his friends.

The man’s shades don’t hide the fact that he’s very obviously checking her out. Hmm, observing would be a better term. His face is neutral as his eyes scan her body.

He’s way too young to be looking at her like that, but he does.

He’s not nearly as subtle when Cornell delivers half of the money to her.

The entire time she talks to her cousin, she can feel his soft gaze on her body.

When it gets to be enough, she turns and outs him.

The smug bastard doesn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. He smiles, and despite the sunglasses, she can see the amusement written across his face.

She doesn’t know how long this man will shadow Cornell, and it makes her uneasy.

Despite the looks he gives her, Mariah’s no fool. She knows he’s dangerous from his relaxed posture but alert posture. Those in control never show their weakness, and Cornell is practically sweating bullets compared to him.

Deep in her heart, Mariah knows that the man will use her to get to her cousin.

Sucks for him since family comes first.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully, I can make the chapters longer in the future, but I don't have much energy left after work.


End file.
